Crème Brûlée: A Luxurious French Classic That's Easy to Make

Crème brûlée is a dessert from France made of a rich custard base topped with a layer of caramelised sugar. It's usually served chilled and garnished with fresh fruit. Today we'll get to know this French dessert and look at how to make it!

The History of Crème Brûlée

In French, crème brûlée means "burnt cream". Its exact origins are unclear, but it's believed to have originated in France in the late 17th century. It was originally known as "crème anglaise" (English cream) and is similar to a dessert called "Trinity cream", which was made in a similar way, also had a burnt top, and was popular in England at the time.

The dessert later became more widespread and was commonly found in the 18th century on the menus of cafés and French restaurants. It was also a favourite of the French royal family; Louis XIV was reportedly a big fan.

The first known recipe for crème brûlée appeared in a French cookbook in 1691, but it was very different from the dessert we know today. It was made with cream, egg yolks, sugar and wine and served cold, without the caramelised sugar on top.

Over time, the modern version took on its more appetising look, with a custard base topped with caramelised sugar, and it grew in popularity through to the late 19th century. Today it's a staple of French cuisine, enjoyed with tea or coffee as a snack and popular in other parts of the world too.

Today there are many variations of crème brûlée with different flavours and toppings. Some chefs have even experimented with savoury versions, combining non-dessert ingredients such as cheese and bacon. Despite its long history, crème brûlée remains a much-loved dessert thanks to its rich, creamy custard and crunchy caramel topping.

Classic Crème Brûlée Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 quart (a quarter of a gallon) heavy cream
• 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
• 8 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup fine sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Method and Tips

1. Preheat your oven to 162–163°C.
2. In a wide-bottomed pot or pan, heat the heavy cream and vanilla (both pod and scraped seeds) over medium-high heat until it bubbles. Remove from the heat and leave for 10 minutes to infuse with vanilla.
3. Put the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with a whisk or electric mixer until pale, creamy and well combined.
4. Remove the vanilla pod from the cream, then gradually pour the cream into the yolk mixture a little at a time, whisking constantly.
5. Once combined, pour through a fine sieve to remove any lumps or bits of vanilla.
6. Divide the mixture between six ramekins or small oven-safe custard cups, filling them almost to the top.
7. Place the ramekins in a large baking dish and add hot water to come halfway up their sides.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40–50 minutes, or until the custard is set but still slightly soft in the centre.
9. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool to room temperature. Once cool, refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.
10. When ready to serve, sprinkle a thin layer of brown sugar over each custard and use a kitchen blowtorch to turn the sugar from white to deep brown. The sugar melts into caramel and forms a crisp layer on top.
11. Leave the crème brûlée at room temperature for a minute or two so the sugar cools and sets, then serve and enjoy!